One of the last official acts of President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) before leaving for Ford’s Theater where he would be fatally shot was to sign legislation that created the United States Secret Service.
While the Secret Service would ultimately be charged with the responsibility of protecting the President of the United States, it can hardly be said that Lincoln’s motivations were out of concern for his safety. When the Secret Service was created that day, April 14, 1865, it was for the purpose of combating the growing threat of counterfeiting. It wasn’t until 36 years later, following the assassinations of two more presidents (James Garfield and William McKinley) that Congress added presidential protection to the Secret Service’s responsibilities.